Drop-face Drawer Cabinet, skeleton key swing doors, what is it for?

[glasschick]

I wish I could mart...I am over the soggy coast up here..house is up for sale but nothings selling here right now...sigh!
Texas sounds great!
Yes, I emailed the 2 places Wullie suggested...still waiting.  Sent them links to this thread as you all know WAY more than I do 

Like I said, most of the screws have a little rust on face and rings of it around screws, 2 of them are newer like they've been replaced.  Should I try and unscrew one to see what the metal might be?  Also, if I find a smaller key, should I try and turn locks? 

[mart]

I would not do anything right now !! If you can find a key ( check antique shops, flea markets and ebay) you can find them easily !! When I had my shop I always had quite a few for those pieces that didn`t have one !! You just need to turn it easily and there should be a tiny bit of resistance when you hit the mechanism, then with slightly more pressure to turn it !!  If it doesn`t budge,, could be that it needs a bit of lubricant !!  WD 40 or such but not too much !!  Let that sit a day or so and try again !! 

[glasschick]

Thanks mart....do I spray a little through hole or should I use a q-tip and try and smear a little on?  I will try and find a key.  Not too many antique shops here but north an hour plenty, so next time I am up there I will try and find some smaller ones.  What is the going rate for the keys?

[Rauville]

...What is the going rate for the keys?

I always charged $1 per key to everyone but good customers...those got them free. I never adjusted for inflation over the years, so it might not have been the best business plan.

[mart]

I would just do one squirt into the lock and wipe off any excess !!

[mart]

I checked Ebay and they are a few lotsa that are pretty reasonable but since you are taking a shot in the dark buying a key I would go to a shop !!  Maybe tell the shop owner what you have and see if they have any that might work !!

[glasschick]

Rauville, lol!  Wish I'd known you when I was buying pieces!
mart, yes, what I thought...don't want to ruin that horrible finish, hahaha!
Ok, I will bring the one I have that's too big and that way I can guess what will fit. 
You folks are awesome!

[bigwull]

would,nt it be easier to take the lock to the locksmith as opposed to crossing your fingers and tootsies hoping that with the next key you,ll hear that joyous click... ..having just espied Mart.s ever cautious post...once you,ve applied the duck oil....and allowed things to ease off,..spare a little for the screws..with a cotton bud...if you do decide to remove the screws holding the lock...make sure you use the correct sized blade...for the slotted head...and most importantly...be gentle.....when unscrewing....

[glasschick]

Thanks Wullie...will be very gentle, there's no rush   Don't know that I'll take a lock off....scared to even removed a screw!  But will oil the screws with cotton bud and put a little in locks!

mart, sure wish you could see it in person....so hard to get decent pics of smaller stuff!

[mart]

I know it is !!  Thats why we ask so many questions and occassionally come up with different interpretations of what we are looking at !!  But,,, bunch of heads are better than one !!

[glasschick]

mart, I VERY much appreciate everyone's questions and opinions, I am such a novice but know what appeals to me! Everyone here has been so kind, so informative, and the humor...well...that is the best part!   

[Rauville]

If I was needing a key, I would go down to the hardware store and buy a couple of those cheap skeleton keys and a small file if you don't already have one. File and try...file and try...until you hopefully find the right combination that wiggles the lock. Then when you head to the antique shop, you have a rough pattern to go by.
Good Luck! (I have a feeling that this story could be coming out as a reality TV show someday. )

[bigwull]

Well over here we had the Forsyte Saga....why not...The Saga of the Wellington Chest....starring.. ...blah...blah...bl ah....and me....

[KC]

Yeah Mart, but our water comes in ice form....we get more hails than the queen!!!!  Right?!

Meltwater rushes past hail several feet thick on Wednesday off Highway 287 north of Amarillo, Texas. (Those aren't rocks people - just small hailstorms that accumulate!!!)



 1976 we had them the size of grapefruit!  To say the least, the insurance companies don't like it here in spring or fall!  We generally get hail at the front of every storm front...and we get alot of them here.  Generally peanut size...but they start dinting cars at pingpong ball size up.

[mart]

We don`t get much hail here and what we get is only blackeyed pea size and I am only about 2 1/2 hours from Dallas !! Only remember quarter size when I lived in Mesquite !!